Memoirs of a Wanderer
by Kagome 1124
Summary: What happens when a few injuries bring two people closer then they ever think they would be? Can it work?
1. Waking Up

_**(**__**Note: I do not own Charon or any of the other characters from Fallout 3, they belong to Bethesda. I only own Emily, she is my OC.)**_

_Everything around me was fuzzy and hard to focus on, the only real things that were clear was the Lincoln's Repeater in my hand (that was now out of ammo), the look on Butch's face as he fired his new toy, the tri-beam laser he had picked up off a Super Mutant Overlord, And Dogmeat growling in the same direction that Butch was firring in. But what was he firring at? Everything was so fuzzy it was hard to tell. I remembered quickly strapping the Repeater to my back and turning to yell at my companion._

_ "BUTCH! IM OUT OF AMMO! GIVE ME YOUR KNIFE!" I screamed over the gun fire._

_ "USE YOUR OWN FUCKING KNIFE!" he yelled back._

_ "IT BROKE FUCKHEAD! GIVE ME YOURS!"_

_ Butch looked at me like I was high on Jet or something as he ran backwards trying to keep the distance between him and what he was firring at, so I quickly returned the look, and just as I was about to finally get a form of defence I suddenly could see what we had been firring at, well I didn't actually see it but more the long claws attached to it. one simple swing of its arm the long claws tore through weapon, armour and flesh leaving three large painful gashes across the my back, gashes that wasted no time in staining the rest of my armour in a warm red liquid then... _

With a gasp I quickly shot my eyes open and tried to sit up, but there was so much pain it was nearly impossible, it hurt so much I wanted to puke. Were the fuck was I? I was obviously in a bed and everything around me looked familiar but I couldn't put a name to it.

"Hey.. you awake?" a raspy voice asked from beside me.

My neck was stiff and it hurt to turn my head but if I was going to see who the hell was talking to me it was gonna have to be done. "Charon?" If Charon was here then I must be in Underworld, probably the Chop Shop, cause he never leaves Underworld unless he is with me.

"Duh, what other ghoul would sit here and keep eye on you for three very long and very boring days while you slept." he said with his trade make half smile.

"THREE DAYS? HOLY FUCK!" I screeched, trying to sit up again, almost would have had it to if Charon wasn't trying to push me back into the bed. "How the hell did I get here? Where is Butch and Dogmeat, are they ok?"

"Calm at the fuck down." Charon said dropping the smile and finally pushing me back into the bed. "The dog and other smoothskin are fine, They drug your ass back here." He turned his attention to under the bed. "Hey, get your scrawny ass out here."

Slowly Dogmeat crawled out from under the bed and yawned before looking around and jumping on the bed, he didn't even notice me while he made himself a nest at my feet and went back to sleep.

"Were is Butch?" I asked pushing my dark blackish blue hair out of my face.

"Bar."

"Should have known."

We sat in quiet for a while. Charon sat in his chair cleaning his shotgun, making sure it had ammo, god he loved that gun. It was obvious though that he was kind of mad at me and any moment he would say why. We had gotten way past the employer and employee thing, he hardly ever called me boss or miss or anything like that but more often called me by name now, and spoke his mind way more often then he used to, I guess you could say we were pretty good friends now.

"You know your a fucking idiot right?" He said in his raspy voice, still looking at his gun.

"And I'm sure your going to tell me why right?"

"I told you not to take that other smoothskin, you were going to far north ans should have taken me or Fawkes, but did you listen? NOOO."

"I was going for stealth, you cant be stealthy with Fawkes around, and I thought you needed a break."

"A break? You thought I needed a break?"

"Yes, you have been following me since I bought your contract and I thought you might like a little rest."

"Right..."

It was then when the door to the chop shop flew open and Butch stumbled to were my bed was, bottle of whiskey in his hand and everything. He pulled up a chair beside Charon, after nearly falling off it he sat down and looked at me.

"Man your okay." he said half slurred.

"Yeah and she was just about to go back to sleep." Charon said as he glared at Butch.

"I was?"

"Yes, if you have forgot there are three large and deep gashes down your back."

I groaned as I tried to push myself onto my side. "I was just forgetting about the pain, thanks for that Charon." I grumbled as I rubbed my eyes with my palm. I felt like shit and probably looked it to, and now all I wanted was to sleep. Charon must have noticed cause he stared at Butch, making him uncomfortable enough (even in his drunken state) to get the hell out. Charon smirked as he leaned back in his chair, it was comforting to know that he would stay even though he didn't have to and he knew he didn't have to. The last thing I remember before I fell asleep again was catching his eye and smiling then I closed my eyes and let sleep take me away to a pain free world.


	2. Letters From A Friend

Days of agonizing pain turned into weeks of agonizing pain. After around the second week Butch had gotten board of Underworld and went back to Rivet City with Dogmeat and Fawkes.

"You could have gone to Charon." I said to the ghoul sitting beside me.

"Someones gotta stay with you so you don't do something stupid." Charon said taking another shot of whiskey.

We sat in used to be the Ninth Circle, but was now just a extension of Carols place, with the extra space they got a few more rooms in and Greta had plenty of room to work at the bar with extra storage space to keep food, not to mention the bar was doubling the amount of caps coming in for them.

I smiled as Greta placed plates of cooked mole rat in front of Charon and I. Gratefully I payed for both and left her a nice tip before stabbing fork into mine and digging in while Charon just picked at his and took more whiskey shots. Even for being mole rat it was very tasty and filling.

"Hey smoothiskin." a raspy voice said from behind me.

"Hey Tulip." I said pushing my empty plate away as I turned to look at the ghoul. "Whats up?"

"Willow asked me to bring this in for you. It came with the caravan that just left." She said, putting some folded papers in my hand.

Charon grumbled as he abandoned his shot glass and polished off the last of the bottle and turned to his mole rat dinner.

As I opened the papers I laughed to myself, somehow Charon could make just about anything funny with one of his grumbles, maybe it was just the tone of the grumbles but they always livened up my mood. "Hey Tulip hows my baby doing? Just about fixed up?"

"Just about, got the last little part in with that caravan. Another day or two for a last little bit of tweaking at is should be good as, well almost new."

"Cool I'll come down in a few days and pick it up, I'll pay you for all the parts too."

"Alright see you in a few days, gotta get back to the shop." she said waving as she walked away.

"So what is it?" Charon asked, pointing at the paper with his fork.

"Look like a letter back from Gob." Quietly humming I leafed through the papers and pulled out the two from the back. "One here for Carol to. I told you it was a good idea for her to send him a letter. I'm going to take her this letter and then come back. Greta I'll be back in a bit and pay off Charon's tab, is there anything you want me to take to Carol? Seines as I'm going over there anyway." I asked standing, my back burned but it wouldn't be to long before I could go rest again.

Greta hummed to herself as she made Carol and large meal and handed me a plate without a word.

I smiled and took the plate before leaving. And it didn't take long before I reached Carols desk were she was sitting as always, I swear the woman never sleeps. "Hey Carol, I brought over your dinner from Greta."

"Thanks dear. How are you feeling today?" she asked in her sweet voice.

Why is it at all the women sound the same but all the guys are different? Maybe it was just me. "My back burns when I sit up to long but its getting better."

"Oh good, soon up will be up and about like normal again huh?"

"Hopefully. OH I got a surprise for you." I said as my smile grew wider.

"Whats that?" she asked, cutting into her mole rat.

"These just came in today and I thought I would bring it over to you." I said giving her the letter.

She looked at the folded paper for a moment before opening it and quickly a wide smile crossed her face. "Oh its from Gob. Thank you for bringing this over, I cant wait to read it."

"I'll let you read it in peace. I'm going to go lay down and read mine. Enjoy your dinner."

"Thanks Hun." was the last I herd from Carol as I left and went back to the bar. There, a piece of paper waiting for me beside Charon with his recently added up tab, quietly I payed it before turning to the ghoul. "I'm going to go lay down, you can do whatever you want, but you know that so I really don't need to tell you, just don't cause any trouble and don't rack your tab up to high."

"Awe fuck Emily, and here I was gonna order a Brahmin steak." Charon said with his half smile.

"Order a steak if you want, just not a dozen of them." I said before I turned and left.

I had chosen a room just off the bar so Charon could drink or do whatever while still keeping a eye on me if he wanted and I could rest and not have to go to far to eat. I lay on the bed and opened the letter fro Gob and began reading, but the warmth of the bed was to much to fight and I was kind of tired, so before long I folded the letter back up and decided to have a nap for a few hours, or at least until Charon decided he was tired and wake me up, then I would again try and read the letter. It didn't take long before sleep got me and I was out like a light in a matter of minutes... god I fucking love sleep.


	3. Home

"Can we leave yet?" Charon asked in a low irritated tone as he stood in the doorway of Carols place.

"Almost." I said quickly, still keeping my eyes on Carol.

Carol smiled as she handed me a few pieces of paper and a few caps. "You will make sure he gets these wont you?"

I nodded quickly. "Don't worry Carol, I'll make sure Gob gets these as soon as we get back to Megaton."

"Alright. And make sure you don't get to hurt out there, Dear."

"I'll try not to."

"And you have enough food and stimpacks to get you back to Megaton?"

"Yes. It will only take a day to a day and a half at the most to get there, and the way we are going has already been cleared out pretty much, maybe a Super Mutant or Mirelurks but that should be about it."

Carol nodded thoughtfully. "Alright, I'll let you get out of here then."

"See you soon Carol." I said smiling as Charon and I left and made our way out of Underworld and out to the Capital Wasteland.

"Leaving already Tourist?" Willow asked as she approached.

"Yeah on our way back to Megaton."

Charon grumbled again as he crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the conversation to finish.

"Well don't get drug back here like last time yo come and visit."

"I wont... or at least I'll try not to."

"Lets go Emily, we are burning daylight." Charon said with a huff.

"Fine Charon." I grumbled.

Willow smirked. "See you later sightseer." she said walking away again.

"Bye Willow." I said turning to Charon.

"So what way are we going?" the ghoul asked, crossing his arms over his chest again.

"We should go up to Meresti Train yard and go through the tunnels, I have blood packs for Vance anyway, then go past Arefu and down to Megaton."

Charon nodded. "Alright."

The tunnels of Meresti were cold, so I pulled my Tunnel Snakes jacket tighter to me as Charon and I walked through the tunnels and up the stairs to were Vance stood watching over The Family.

"Hello Vance." I said digging through my pack.

"Hello my friend, how can I help you today?" He asked taking a drag from his cigarette.

"I brought you some blood packs to help out." I said handing him several blood packs and closing my pack.

"Thank you again, here are some caps for your troubles." Vance said smiling.

"Thank you Vance, I'll come back when I have more blood packs." I said as Charon and I walked away.

The tunnels that led Charon and I to Murphy's lab in the Northwest Seneca metro station were just as cold as the tunnels in Meresti, they didn't seem to bother Charon, but I shivered like someone had dropped me in a tub full of ice. When we had finally gotten back out the the Capital Wasteland we discovered that the sun had long since set and the cold night had set in.

I was quite content to continue our trip back to Megaton but apparently Charon had other plans.

"Hold open the door." He said slinging his shotgun to his back and picking up a large barrel, probably used to be a oil barrel before the bombs fell.

"Why? We can still keep walking." I said quickly.

"It would be easier to walk in the daylight, so we can actually see if anything is attacking us. Now open the door so I can get this barrel inside."

I sighed and nodded as I held open the door as Charon carried the barrel inside . He put it down just after the little incline and threw some loose papers in it before reaching into his pocket and pulling out some matches.

"Since when do you have matches? You don't smoke."

"No, but I carry them anyway, you never know when your going to need a fire."

"Hmm, I guess your right." I said nodding before I went to collect some more papers, if we were going to stay the night we were going to have to keep the fire going as long as possible without taking any of Murphy's supplies, god knows he needed them more.

Throughout the night Charon and I stayed quite so we wouldn't bother Murphy or Barrett, and even when we did talk briefly it was quiet and hushed. It didn't take to long for Charon to fall asleep, and I was actually kind of surprised that it happened so fast, considering it usually takes him forever to fall asleep,.

"Must have been more tired than he looked." I said throwing the last of our papers into the fire before resting my head on my pack. I drifted into a light sleep knowing that tomorrow I would be back in my own house in Megaton were it was warm and safe...er.

The fire had long been out and Charon looked like he had been up for a while when I woke, must have been a deeper sleep then I thought.

"Ready to go?" Charon asked grabbing his shotgun when he realized I had woke.

"Yeah just let me grab my pack." I said standing. I quickly grabbed my pack and followed Charon out of the gates into the blindingly bright, warm sun of the Wasteland. "Holy balls its bright." I said grabbing some glasses out of my pocket. "Want a pair Charon?"

"No thanks." he said cracking his knuckles. "Shouldn't take us more than a few hours to get to Megaton now, even if we stop to rest."

I nodded, he always had a way of making things seem not so bad.

We walked for hours and by now my back was starting to ache something fierce, making me wonder if it would ever be the same again. "Charon do you think we could stop for a bit? My back is trying to kill me." I groaned.

"Yeah fine." he said looking around. "Over by those rocks would be best." he said pointing about 20 feet ahead of us. It was freaking perfect. Nothing could sneak up0 behind us easily and given the right angle you could see everything around you for miles, god he was good at this.

Charon sat against the rocks, they were sort of like a cliff with a bit of a edge that gave him just enough shade to make him comfortable.

"Remind me to get Nova to look at my back when we get to Megaton." I said as I laid on my stomach in the sun, letting my back absorb the warmth ans relax the muscles, it felt great.. until a few rocks fell from above Charon, then more.. and more.. then they started getting bigger, Charon quickly grabbed my arm as I was getting up and pulled me towards him and out of the way of the rocks. I covered my face with my hand and pressed my face to his shoulder as a Yao Guai landed not far from were I had been laying. We sat like that for a few moments, a few long moments, before turning our attention to the Yao Guai.

"Stay here." Charon said as he let go of my arm and moved his other arm that he had wrapped around me, grabbing his combat shotgun and standing to examine the fallen beast. "Its dead."

"It would have to be after falling like that." I said looking around from were I sat, before grabbing my Lincoln's Repeater. "Any idea what did it?"

"Its got some deep cuts in it, could be a number of things." he said still looking at it.

My jaw dropped as out of the corner of my eye I saw a tall hunched over creature walking our way. "Charon... I think I know what happened." I said pointing at the creature.

Charon raised his shotgun as he turned to look, soon firing round after round at the Deathclaw as it sped up its approach. And I soon joined the mirage of bullets aimed at the Deathclaw, determined not to have what happened last time happen again.

When the creature finally dropped just a few feet short of us, I hesitantly lowered my weapon before looking at the ghoul beside me. "You okay?"

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. What the hell was that thing doing this far South? They are almost never down here." I said poking the dead body with my gun.

"I don't know, but lets not stay and find out. Grab your bag and lets go."

I nodded and grabbed my back, Charon quickly snatching it from me, and we quickly left, making our way once again to Megaton.

I never thought I could be so happy to see the mound of metal that was Megaton, but once we were past the front gates and inside I instantly left much better, like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.


	4. Guh

_**(**__**Note: I do not own Charon or any of the other characters from Fallout 3, they belong to Bethesda. I only own Emily, she is my OC.)**_

I took a deep breath, it felt good to be home finally. Here there are no Deathclaws, Super Mutants, Enclave, and minimal Raiders. Here it was safe, you could walk around and not HAVE to carry a gun around, most of us did anyway, and you could still feel safe. The first steps I took after entering the town was towards my house. It wasn't fancy or anything, really simple but it was home and it was mine.

"Were are you going?" Charon asked curiously.

"To my house." I said simply.

"I thought we were going to see Gob as soon as we got here?"

"We are, I just need more caps, I plan on getting sloshed tonight."

He half smiled as he followed me up the ramp to the door.

I swung the door open and grabbed my bag back from Charon and dropped it on the large heart shaped bed on the floor, while digging through it for the caps I already had in it, the letter and caps for Gob, I dropped a few more teddy bears on the bed and threw another bundle of pre-war money towards the shelf against the stairs, then turned my attention to the locker behind me were I kept my extra caps and stuff I didn't always use but liked to keep just in case. "There you are." I mumbled to myself pulling the small sack of caps out of the locker. "Okay lets go." I said as I pushed Charon out the door and towards the saloon, humming to myself the whole time and ignoring the pain radiating through my back to my ribcage.

"Don't forget to talk to Nova about looking at your back before you get to messed up." Charon said looking at me before opening the door.

"I cant believe you remembered that, I totally forgot after that Yao Guai fell from the sky."

"It didn't fall from the sky."

"You know what I mean." I said rolling my eyes and sitting on a stool and looking at the ghoul across the counter as Charon leaned against the wall.

"Hey your back, what can I get you?" Gob said smiling.

"Hey Gob, I'll get Vodka, lots of Vodka. OH and lots of Whiskey."

"You got it friend." Gob said walking to back room were the alcohol was kept.

"Sit down Charon, standing and drinking Whiskey cant end well."

"Probably not." he said sitting on the stool to my right, leaning his shotgun against the wall were he had been standing. Did he ever not take that thing with him?

"Vodka and Whiskey, just like you asked." Gob said, putting the bottles on the counter and then getting some shot glasses from underneath it.

With a smile I payed for both bottles before cracking mine open and taking a shot. "Oh before I forget, Gob I got something for you." I said reaching into my jacket pocket and sliding the letter and caps across the counter.

"For me?" he asked opening the letter and looking over it while pocketing the caps.

I was well into my second bottle of Vodka and Charon on his second or third bottle of Whiskey when he reminded me once again about talking to Nova.

"Oh fuck right." I said standing with a bit of a stumble and walking over the the red haired girl standing by the stairs. "Hey Nova."

"Hey Hun, herd about your accident, how ya' doing'?"

"Sore as hell, but actually that's what I wanted to talk to you about, can you look at my back? I just want to make sure that its not tearing open or anything, and I would feel more comfortable if you looked at it." I said starting to ramble.

"Sure Hun, lets go upstairs." She said leading the way up the stairs.

I unzipped and took off my jacket and Nova rolled up the back of my shirt to get a better look at the wounds that were mostly healed... I hoped.

"Well your going to have a few nice scars, but it doesn't look to bad just one little spot that needs to finish healing that's why its sore." She said rolling my shirt down again.

"Awesome, thanks Nova."

"Anytime." she said with a smile as I put my jacket back on and left the room going back to the bar down stairs.

"Well?" Charon asked as I sat down.

"Still healing a bit but fine other than that."

"Hmmm."

"About time you got your sorry ass back here." a voice came from the door behind me.

"Nice to see you to Colin." I said, not having to see who it was.

"Another letter came for you." He said slapping the paper on the table as he walked by to the back room were his terminal was.

"Holy shit." I said looking over it. "The he still lives."

"Who?" Gob asked as he drying the row of glasses in front of him.

"Mister Burke. This is the first letter Ive gotten since he broke off the relationship he thought he had with me" I said reading over the letter, before nearly coughing to death. "Oh my... guh..."

"What?" Charon asked peering over at the letter.

I crumpled up the paper and put it on the counter and pushed it away with my index finger. "Guh...I suddenly just became very sober." I mumbled as my face turned pale.

"Okay, now I'm curious." Charon said reaching over and grabbing the paper, he quietly flattened out the letter and began reading... before bursting out in a fit of raspy laughter.

"Not funny." I said pounding back the last of the Vodka in the bottle in front of me.

"Gob read this." Charon said handing him the letter.

As Gob read the letter he smirked before crumpling it back up and throwing it in a waste basket.

"More Vodka please Gob... I want to forget that letter ever happened."

"Coming right up." he said walking away.

"Don't you think its nice he wants you back? And is 'finally able to send for you'?" Charon teased as he quoted the letter, chuckling to himself.

"Nope."

Gob quickly returned with a bottle of Vodka, and before he had put it on the bar I quickly grabbed it, pulled the cork out and took a swig. Still intending on getting sloshed I continued to drink while Charon teased me about the letter from Burke in between every shot he took. Gob smirked at every remark Charon made as he worked. Damn it was going to be a long night.


	5. Quiet Afternoons

_**(Note: I am going to be away for the next three weeks, I will try and post new chapters while at school but I cant make any promises that I will for sure, but I should be able to get more chapters written and ready to post for when I return.)**_

I frowned as I opened my eyes, thee sun shinning thorough thee holes in thee walls of my home. I lifted my head from my pillow and looked around. Charon's combat shotgun was laying across thee chair in thee back corner, I could hear Wadsworth upstairs cleaning and light raspy breathing beside me. I looked to my left and over thee barrier of teddy bears to were Charon slept on my bed, obviously deciding he was to drunk last night to try and climb thee stairs to his own room. There were teddy bears thrown all over the floor from my tossing and turning.

Charon took a deep breathe as he continued to sleep, stretching a arm up over his head. I groaned as I grabbed my pillow and threw it him, it landing on his face withe a light thump, before grabbing a pile of teddy bears and burring my face in therm to try and block out the light coming in thorough thee holes in thee wall, well at least that's what the plan was.

"So much for that." I mumbled to myself, pushing off thee bed. I stretched as I stood and walked up thee stairs.

"Good afternoon madame." Wadsworth said as he spun around. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No thank you Wadsworth. Just tell Charon I'm on thee roof when he gets up so he doesn't flip out."

"As you wish madame."

"Thank you Wadsworth." I said walking into the back room. It was a small room only enough room for a table, a chair and a shelf, a shelf I used to climb onto the roof occasionally.

The metal of thee roof was hot from the afternoon sun, and withethere being no shade there was no way of getting away from it, but that was fine, a good way to help my back before it started to hurt again.

Megaton was oddly quiet for being in thee middle of the afternoon, the only thing you could really hear was thee sound of the preacher standing in the waters by the Atomic bomb in the middle of town, and the occasional sound of footsteps on the metal walkways.

"Its quiet out here." A groggy raspy voice said.

"Yeah... Kinda nice."

Charon mumbled to himself as he sat down. "So.. plans?"

"Gotta go back to thee saloon... I don't remember paying the tab..."

"What do you remember?" he asked scratching his chin.

"Not much."

"Do you remember the letter?" Charon asked smirking.

"Unfortunately yes, but after that is kinda fuzzy."

"Do you remember paying off Gobs debts to Moriarty and one nights rent AND telling him that he can live in the spar room?"

"Vaguely."

"So uh.. what spar room is Gob staying in?"

"No idea. I'll figure it out... I was thinking about expanding that little storage room. I could probably get a bed from Moira. But that's a job for later, right now I'm going to the saloon to see if I payed off that tab." I said standing and crawling back into the house as Charon stood and followed.

"So how do you plan on expanding that tiny room?" Charon asked as we walked past Lucy Wests house.

"Bring out that wall so it it flush withe the wall of the other room and move the door of the other room to were the Nuka Cola machine is I think."

"And were will the Nuka Cola machine go?"

"On the other side of the second level I suppose." I said pushing open the door of the saloon.

"Hello friend." Gob said from behind the bar. "Hows the hangover?"

"Not to bad. Hey do I owe anything from last night?"

"Nope."

"Okay, awesome. So umm.. if you want to move into my place today I'll get Wadsworth to start working on the upper levels and expanding that room for you."

Gob nodded. "Thanks."

"No problem, I guess we will see you when your done working."

"Yup."

"I guess I will let you get back to work then." I said smiling.

Again Gob nodded his head as he got back to work. "Later." he said.

As Charon and I left the bar I looked at Charon. "Do you need anything while we are out and about?"

He mumbled to himself as he thought. "No, I don't think so."

"Okay, well I'm going to go give Wadsworth tee plans for that room then go back to bed.. you can do whatever you want I guess." I said walking away.

"Actually bed sounds good." he said following. "By the way... did you throw a pillow on my face?"

"Yes, yes I did." I said smirking.


	6. Tenpenny Tower

"Well I think you should be all set Gob." I said smiling at the ghoul standing in the doorway. "Fridge is full of food, but if you run out of something there are extra caps in the locker."

"Thanks. So where are you guys going exactly?" Gob asked curiously.

"Going to head south and go from there I guess. Should check in with Butch, Fawkes and Dogmeat in Rivet City."

"Well good luck out there, I should go get some rest before I go back to work." He said yawning.

"Okay, see ya Gob." I said as Charon and I left and Gob closed the door.

"So we are going to Rivet City I take it?" Charon asked.

"Yeah, then I think we should go to Tenpenny Tower, I have some stuff for Bessie Lynn. "

Charon mumbled to himself as we left Megaton and entered the Wastelands for the first time in over a week.

I don't know what it is about Charons mumbles and grumbles, they always make me laugh.

It only took a few hours before Charon and I had made it into Rivet City and down to the Muddy Rudder.

"How long are we going to be here?" Charon asked in a low tone.

"Not long…." I started before I was knocked off my feet by a giant ball of fur.

"Get down… dumb dog." Charon said grabbing Dogmeat and pulling him off of me.

"Awe Charon be nice." I said sitting on my knees and hugging my dog. "Been a good boy Dogmeat? Huh? You being a good boy for Butch? Course you have, Dogmeat is always a good boy."

Again Charon grumbled, and again making me laugh.

"Where is Butch, Dogmeat?" I asked looking at Dogmeat, who got up and ran down the stairs.

"Oh my god! Stupid dog get off me!" Butch yelled.

"Be nice to my dog Butch." I said from where I stood behind him, arms crossed over my chest.

Butch span around in his seat and nearly dropped his drink. "Man! Y…you're out of Underworld…." He said shocked.

"Have been for a while. Just stopped in to check in with you … were is Fawkes?"

"Went back to Underworld yesterday."

"Okay, Well Charon and I should go."

"Are you taking Dogmeat with you?"

"No, there are too many feral ghouls where we are going. And we all know how he gets around ferals."

Dogmeat whined as he cocked his head at me.

"Dogmeat, stay and keep Butch out of trouble."

Dogmeat barked and sat beside Butch.

"Let's go." Charon said turning away.

I nodded and followed him. "Later Butch."

"Later."

"So are we going to Tenpenny Tower now?" Charon asked as we walked.

"Might as well, since you fantastically got us out of there." I said pointing behind us at Rivet City with my thumb.

"Shhh…" he said looking around with his clouded over eyes, shotgun raised.

I unstrapped my Lincoln's Repeater from my back as I looked around. "Let's get to higher ground." I said stepping quietly in front of Charon.

"Be careful."

I nodded as we looked towards were the sound came from before I lowered my weapon. "Just a Brahmin."

Charon lowered his weapon. "Let's get going before something does show up."

"I agree. If we don't take any breaks we should make it to Tenpenny Tower before night fall."

"Good."

After hours of walking Charon and I had made it to the tower. As Charon opened the gate I dug through my pack and pulled out my Ghoul mask.

"Ready?"

"Yup." I said pulling the mask on.

We walked across the courtyard, into the tower and to the elevator up to the suits on the top level.

"So far so good. " I said looking around while Charon knocked on the door of what used to be Tenpenny's

The door opened and Bessie Lynn stood in the doorway.

"Hey Bessie Lynn." I said smiling under the mask.

"Oh hello Emily, Charon, c'mon in," She said standing out of the way. "There are no ferals in here so you can take that silly mask off." She said as the door closed behind us.

"How are you?" I asked, pulling the mask off.

"A lot better now that we aren't living in tunnels." She said smiling sweetly. "Take a seat where ever you like."

Charon nodded as he sat in a chair and I sat on a loveseat not far away.

"I brought that stuff you asked me to look out for." I said opening my pack. "Pre-war casual wear, that isn't dirty, and new shoes to match said casual wear."

"She smiled brightly. "Thank you." Was all she could say as she took the cloths from me and placed them on her lap as she sat beside me on the loveseat .

"So where is Roy? Didn't see him downstairs." Charon asked.

"On the balcony talking to another smoothskin." She said glancing at the door that led to the balcony.

"Another smoothskin?" I asked, not hearing the door behind me open.

"Emily…." A kind of upbeat male voice said. "I thought I heard you. And sure enough here you are."

My jaw dropped. "Guh..." I mumbled turning to look at where the voice came from, ignoring the fact Charon was trying his damnedest not to laugh. "Burke…" I said quietly, facing the man in the pale pinstriped suit.


	7. Goodbye Burke

I stood and looked at Burke who now stood happily in front of me.

"My dear, you have no idea how happy I am to see you." He said, smiling growing.

"Wh… what are you doing here? I thought you said you weren't coming back to the tower, that's what you said when you wrote." I said, unbelieving what I saw before me.

"I wasn't going to come back, but I realized I had left some things in my suit that I may need."

"Ah… I see ." I said unsure of what else to say.

"I see you have been doing well my love." Burke continued.

Charon laughed to himself, Burke shot him a dirty look that Charon happily gave back.

I turned my attention to Bessie Lynn who was still sitting on the loveseat, now accompanied by Roy. "Roy, Bessie Lynn, if you excuse me I think I will retire to my suite for the night." I said putting my ghoul mask on and picking up my pack. They nodded and I left.

I walked out of the suite and down the hall, pulling my keys from my jacket pocket and unlocking the door to my suite. Pushing the door open I threw my pack on the chair and turned to close the door just as Charon entered the suite.

"Well that was… entertaining." Charon said placing his shotgun on the table.

"For you maybe." I said flopping on my bed. "UGH! I can't believe he is here!"

"Well he is, so what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know.. " I groaned, pulling off my mask. "Jump off the building?"

"…Or you could just avoid him.." Charon said sitting in a chair.

"Yeah I guess." I said pushing off the bed. "I'm going for a purified water shower. You know where everything is, help yourself.

" 'Kay."

I didn't realize how cold I had been until I was in my warm shower. It felt good to be clean again, my hair didn't feel greasy anymore, but damn did I need a haircut. When I was done and dressed in some comfortable pajama's I left the bathroom and sat on my bed.

"Better?" 

"Better." 

"Burke was here while you were in the shower.." Charon said.

"Course he was." I said rolling my eyes.

"Told him you were in the shower then going right to bed."

"Good thinking." I said smiling.

"You should though." He said leaning forward on his chair.

"I know, I think I will. Night Charon." I said laying down, pulling the blanket over my head and rolling over.

"Night Emily."

I woke a few hours later to the sound of knocking. Looking around I saw Charon was completely asleep on his bed. I sat up and walked to the door of the balcony and slowly opened it.

"I'm sorry to wake you beloved. " Burke said standing on the balcony. God I hated that fact that they were all connected.

I looked at him then to my pipboy. "Burke, do you have any idea what time it is?" I asked rubbing my eyes.

"I know its late. But I just had to see you my song bird." He said grabbing one of my hands.

I frowned and pulled my hand back. "Goodnight Burke." I said closing the door and locking it.

There was a grumble as Charon sat up in his bed and looked at me. "Who was that?"

"Burke. Go back to sleep Charon." I said crawling back into my bed and going back to sleep.

I woke again several hour later to the sun coming through the window… and more knocking on the balcony door then the window.

Burke stepped into the frame of the window and looked into the now bright room.

I rolled over and faced away from the window, pulling the blanket over my head. "God he's like a stalker." I mumbled.

Charon smirked as he lay his bed, as the knocking continued.

Groaning I pushed the blanket off me and sat up, letting the warm light from the window warm my bare back, before getting up and walking to the door, swigging it open.

Burke stood wide eyed between the window and the door, before stepping fully into the doorframe. "Your back…" he started.

"Deathclaw." I muttered. "Burke this is very inappropriate." I said harshly.

"But my love… it's been so long since I have seen you that I can't help but to want to be with you all the time when I do get to see you." He said, eyes still wide with shock.

By this time Charon was standing in the doorway and I had turned to leave.

"It would be wise of you to just go back to your suite." Charon said as he tried to close the door.

Burke stuck his foot in and stopped the door from closing completely before gripping the door with one hand and pushing it open. " And you, you disgusting ghoul should learn were your place is." He said frowning. " You disgust me."

Charon frowned as he reached for his shotgun, but I had already beaten him to it.

I stood between Burke and Charon, with my 10mm pistol raised at Burke. "No one talks to Charon like that." I hissed. "He is my friend, and I will not stand talking down to him."

Burke took a step back. "I… I didn't…."

I cut him off before he could finish. "You have two choices. One, you leave here now, go back to your suite and gather your stuff and leave, never to come back."

"Or?"

"Or I can pull this trigger, and feed your body to the ferals down stairs. "Your choice."

"But… Songbird… I.."

"Choose Burke." I said pulling back the safety on my pistol.

Burke gulped as he stared to walk away. "Goodbye Emily." Was the last thing he said before disappearing.

I stepped back into the suite, slammed the door and locked it and replaced the safety on my pistol before looking at Charon. "What?" I asked looking at his puzzled face.

"Holy crap."

"Holy crap?"

"Emily… holy crap!" he said finally blinking. "That was… that was awesome. I've never seen a guy get away from you that fast." He said.

"Thanks? It wasn't that awesome, we can probably expect more talon Company to come after us now." I said throwing the on the bed. "Get your stuff packed. We should go before Burke."

Charon nodded as he started packing and I left to change.


	8. Trouble At The Memorial

It didn't take long for Charon and I to get packed and leave. We said our goodbyes to Bessie Lynn, all the while I could hear Roy talking to Burke. We were now standing outside the gates of Tenpenny Tower heading east to the Jefferson Memorial and Rivet City.

We were about ten feet from the east wall when a gunshot rang out and Charon fell to the ground grabbing his right leg and hissing in pain.

I looked up and saw Burke standing on the balcony with a rifle. "Charon give me your shotgun." I said, eyes never leaving Burke. When I felt the gun in my hand I raised it, aimed and fired. the shotgun kicked back like a mule as the shot rang out, but all I could hear was the gut wrenching scream from the man on the balcony. When I was sure Burke was gone I got and my knees beside Charon. "Are you okay?" I asked, pulling medical supplies from my pack.

"Oh yeah... never better, cant your tell I'm doing cartwheels inside."

I smirked as I wrapped a tight bandage around the wound, it would just have to do until we got somewhere that wasn't so covered in dirt.

"aren't going back in there." He hissed.

"Obviously not."

"Good." he said trying to get up.

"Let me help." I said, putting my pack on as I stood and helped him to his feet. I could hear Charon grinding his teeth from the pain. "aren't going to be able to walk by yourself." I said pulling his right arm over my shoulders.

"Thanks.." he said as we started to walk.

I nodded. "No problem Charon." I said smiling.

We walked for a few hours before we had to stop. The Jefferson Memorial was within sight, but Charon's leg needed a break and re-bandage.

"Should have blown his head off when he had the clear shot." Charon grumbled.

"I regret not doing it now." I said frowning as I re-bandaged his leg. "Here drink this."

Charon took the irradiated water from my hand and quickly drank it.

I knew that radiation heals ghouls, so I figured something that had radiation in it would at least help numb some pain 'till we got to the memorial.

"Thanks... again." he said with a half smile.

"No problem." I said looking up, my eye being caught my shinning metal. "Looks like the Brotherhood of Steel saw us."

Charon grumbled as he stood.

I stood as I placed a hand on Charon's shoulder. "Sit down, that leg needs a break."

His fogged over eyes looked around as he raised his shotgun with one hand, the other resting on my shoulder to help him stand. "Enclave..." he said quietly.

"Shit... well this day is just full of excitement." I mumbled, grabbing his hand that was on my shoulder and pulled it to my other side, grabbing my Repeater at the same time. "Lets go."

Together we moved as fast as possible towards the Brotherhood of Steel soldiers. And we almost made it, we were so close,but not close enough to avoid the plasma grenade that landed maybe five feet from our feet.

"Fuck... fuck... fuck..." I said, trying to get some distance between us and the grenade, but it wasn't enough.

When the grenade went off it sent Charon and I backwards, landing on our asses and making everything distorted.

Just before I got my senses back fully I could feel a cold hand grip my arm tightly and pull me away.

"NO!" Charon yelled, firing his shotgun.

I looked at the person who had my arm, the Enclave Officer who had my arm. "LET GO OF ME!" I screamed, punching the officer in thee side of the head, scrambling back to Charon. But another soldier soon grabbed my arm and then everything went dark. The last thing I remember hearing was Charon yelling and the sound of his combat shotgun. 'Charon...'


	9. Why?

_**(Note: This chapter is in Charons POV, just for a bit of a change. The next chapter will be back to Emilys POV) **_

My head was killing me, my leg hurt like hell and now I was somewere I didn`t remember being when I blacked out, awesome.

I groanded as I sat up and rubbed my head. I was obviously in a medical room, and I was alone. Quickly I threw the blanket that had been placed on me onto the floor, but stopped when a crumpled ball of paper landed on the floor. Carefully I bent down and picked up the crumpled ball, flattening it out I read it. "My contract..." was the onlything I could say as I leaned against the bed.

"Glad to see you awake." A voice came from the doorway.

I looked up at the medical officer without saying anything.

"We usually dont bring ghouls here, but you travel with the Wanderer so we made a exception." he continued.

"How long have I been here?" I asked, clutching my contract tight in my fist.

"Just about five days."

I looked at the medic shocked, then down at my contract. "Were is she?"

"Pardon?"

"You herd me. Were. Is. She?" I asked harshly, I was starting to get irratated already.

"In her room I suppose..." he said thoughtfully. "Down the..."

"I know were it is." I said grabbing my stuff and leaving.

I stormed down the corridors, they were pretty empty and anyone who did come my way steared away. 'Why would she give it back?' was all I could think. _Why? Why? Why?_

Soon I was standing infront of her door, I tried to push it open but it was locked. "Of course its locked..." I said knocking

"Who is it?" A quiet voice asked from right behind the door.

The doorlocked clicked as she unlocked the door and slid it open, half hiding behind the door. "Come in Charon." she said just as quiet as before. In all the time I had known her the only time she had talked as quiet as she was now was when she was trying to stay unnoticed, something was up. "You can sit anywere, make yourself at home." she said as I walked in and she locked the door behind me.

I sat on the edge of of her bed and watched her grab a chair and sit infront of me, it wasnt until she looked right at me that I noticed what she was trying to hide. On her left cheek, bright as day was a large bruise acompanied by a cut on her upper lip, now I had forgotten about my contract that was still clutched in my fist.

"Oh god..Emily, how?"

She shook her head. "I dont know. I woke up and there it was." she said quietly, pushing her hair out of her face, tucking it back into the bun she always wore it in. "I..I really dont want to talk about itCharon, please dont make me talk about it. I mean its not like something horrible happened but ever since Ive been back thats all anyone has asked me to talk about, the bruise on my face and the bruises on my arms."

I leaned over and lightly grabbed her arm, making her stand from the chair and sit on the bed with me. "Okay, you can talk about it when you want to talk about it." I said as I wrapped my arms around her in a loose hug.

She sniffed, like she was about to cry, but just rested her head on my shoulder instead and wrapped her arms around me in a loose hug.

It was a closeness I wanted to have with her for a long time, long before the Deathclaw attacked her. The day the Yao Guai fell infront of us just reminded me more how much I wanted the closeness. She had never made me do anything I really didnt want to do, stood up for me against other smoothskins, never abused my contract. She was my closest friend, but something in me wanted it to be more.

"Emily..." I started, unsure if now was the right time to be asking this, but I did anyway."Why did you give me my contract?"


	10. Realization

I leaned back slightly and started chewing my bottom lip.

"Emily... why?" He asked again.

"I gave it back because I wanted you to choose who had it.." I said looking away.

"Is that all?"

"No... Mostly I didn't want to see you hurt again because of me." I said, now playing with some of my hair that had fallen out of the bun I wore it in.

I felt him take my hand, that had been playing with my, in his and put a paper in it. Shocked I looked at the paper, then him.

He half smiled. "I want you to have it." he said, closing my fingers over his contract.

"But..."

"Hey, you don't know when I will get hurt, it just happens. And you said you wanted me to choose who had it, So I want you to have it." he said smiling.

"Okay... I'll keep it." I said smiling.

"Good." Charon said, placing his flakey hand over mine.

I moved on the bed closer to him, accidently bumping into his right leg. He gasped, half in shock from the pain and half from the pain.

"Charon.. I'm sorry." I said standing quickly.

"Its okay, just a little tender." he said.

"Did they get the round out?" I asked sitting on the chair.

"I would assume so."

"Can I see?"

"...I guess..."

Charon rolled up his pant leg to his knee and let me unwrap the bandage.

The wound was healing, but slowly, obviously no one wanted to work with any kind of radiation to help it heal faster, there was still a bloody red spot were the round went in. I carefully replaced the bandage and rolled the pant leg back down.

"Does it hurt?" I asked.

"Not as much." he said smirking.

I nodded as I leaned forward and rested my elbows on my knees, glad to see he wasn't in so much pain still.

"Does this hurt?" he asked, touching the cut on my lip with his thumb.

"Kind of."

"And this?" he asked, rubbing his thumb on the bruise on my cheek.

"Not really."

He removed his hand and we sat in silence for a while. I folded his contract neatly and placed it back between my pipboy and my wrist. Charon watched me quietly before leaning forward.

"I'm sorry I couldn't sop the Enclave from taking you." he said quietly.

"Charon, no. Its not your fault. Don't think like that." I said looking at him.

He shook his head. "You say that, but I still feel responsible."

"Please don't." I said shaking my head. "Or at least try not to, its really not your fault."

Charon placed one of his hands on mine. "At least try? I think I might be able to do that." he said half smiling.

I smiled as I turned my hand over under his and wrapped my finders around it. "That's just going to have to be good enough."


	11. Worry

My room was still dark, still quiet, just they way I liked it. Stretching I rolled over on my bed and faced the rest of my room.

"Sleep well?" Charon asked with a smile from were he sat on the chair by my bed.

"One of the better sleeps I've had in a while." I said smiling back as I sat up.

"Good." He said moving from the chair to the edge of my bed.

Resting my hand on his arm, I gently rubbing the flaky skin with my thumb. "How did you sleep?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Back to my old sleeping habits."

"So next to none?"

"Pretty much."

I smirked as I got up off the bed. "You really should sleep more."

"You've been telling me that since we met."

"And I mean it." I said looking back at Charon before grabbing my hairbrush off one of my shelves, pulling out the elastic that kept my dark blue hair up and brushed it. I was looking in the broken mirror at the bruise on my cheek, to busy trying to think of ways to cover it up without be obvious of that was what I was doing that I hardly noticed Charon get off the bed and stab beside me.

"You know, the whole time I've known you I don't think I've ever seen your hair down 'till now, I've seen it messy with a few strands falling out here and there, but never down like this. I didn't realize how long it was." He said, playing with some of my hair.

"I usually like to keep it up, it stays out of my face that way. But I think its time to change it up a bit, get it cut and maybe leave it down." I said as I turned around to look at him.

Charon nodded, before dropping my hair and letting my tie it back up. He sat back on the bed and yawned as I sat beside him. "What should we do today?" he asked.

"I think you need a nap." I said smirking.

"Uh huh... And what will you be doing if I have this nap?" He asked, quirking what used to be his eyebrow.

I shrugged. "Stay with you, and get some more sleep."

"Well that is tempting."

"You know you like the idea." I said jabbing my finger at his chest.

"I do." He said placing his forefinger under my chin. "Though I do wonder how we get anything done when you sleep so much."

"Sleep is good. I fucking love sleep." I said smiling

Twenty, maybe thirty minutes passed and Charon was sound asleep, one arm resting on his stomach the other wrapped around me. He was warm, even without a jacket, even were his skin and flesh were gone he was warm, better than any blanket. I nuzzled closer to him, resting my arm over the one on his stomach. I was so comfy, comfy enough to sleep myself, until I herd the commotion outside the door.

I grumbled and I hesitantly removed Charon's arm from around me, and got up. I opened the door and poked my head out, Paladins, Scribes and new recruits were going down the hall in a hurry, non of them noticing me or the question I was asking. So I closed the door and sat on the bed. "Charon.."

He grumbled and rolled over.

"Charon, there is something happening outside."

He rolled over again, this time his glazed over eyes were open. "Huh?"

"Somethin' is happening outside."

"So... you want to go check it out?" he asked sitting up.

"Could be something we end up helping with."

"Yeah probably. Okay lets go check it out." Charon said as we walked out the door and followed the flow of people.

We walked to the large meeting room and sat in some chairs near the back. Soon Elder Lyons stood in front of everyone.

"My comrades, today I stand here in front of you happy to say that we have made a discovery that I hope we will be able to use to help the people of the wasteland." he said with a large smile across this face.

Charon and I exchanged a quick glance at each other before turning back to the Lyons.

"I am happy to tell you all that we have found a way to reverse the effects of ghoulification."

As I watched Lyons talk I noticed Charon leaning forward in his seat, occasionally we would exchange glances then turn back to face the Scribe who had taken over and was explaining the process of reversing ghoulification.

After the meeting, Charon and I quietly walked to the mess hall and sat to our mole rat dinners. The whole time Charon was quiet and had his eyes glued to his plate, he had always been a quietish person, kept mostly to himself a lot but now he was quieter then usual, obviously deep in thought about the meeting.

When we had finished eating we left the mess hall and walked around outside in silence for a while before returning to out room.

"What they said makes seance..." Charon said, finally speaking.

"Hmm?" I asked, as I rubbed my eyes, I had started to doze off and was unsure if Charon had actually spoken or I had imagined it.

"What the Lyons and that scribe said, about reversing the effects of ghoulification, it makes seance."

I nodded. "It does, and I cant see any flaws in the science. But that doesn't always mean it will work Charon."

He nodded as he scratched his jaw. "I know."

I rubbed his forearm. "I know there is something else bothering you, what is it?" I asked, looking into his foggy eyes.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

I frowned for a moment, but it soon dropped away when I yawned.

"Tired?"

"Kinda... kinda bored to.."

"Do you want to go do something?" he asked.

"Not really." I said shaking my head. "Unless you want to."

Again he shook his head. "No. Maybe we should just go to bed."

I looked at him with a eyebrow quirked. "You want to go to bed? Really?"

Charon looked at me funny. "..Yeah?"

"Are you sick?" I asked pressing the back of my hand to his forehead.

Rolling his eyes he smirked at me as he removed my hand from his forehead. "Smart ass."

I laughed to myself for a moment as Charon kicked off his boots and unbuckled some of his armor. "Are you sure your okay though?" I asked placing a hand on his shoulder.

He turned to look at me with his half smile. "I'm fine."

"You would tell me if there was something wrong right?"

" 'Course." he said nodding.

I didn't remember falling asleep, I remembered talking with Charon for a while then watching him sleep so I guess it could have been anytime after that. But I knew for a fact when I did fall asleep Charon was in bed next to me, now he wasn't. I sat up and stretched as I swung my legs over the side of the bed, it didn't bother me that Charon was already up, he was always up before I was and he could be in the bathroom for all I knew. I stretched again as I stood and brushed my hair, looking in the broken mirror, the bruise on my cheek was almost gone and the cut on my lip was healing well. "Guess I wont be trying to hide those anymore." I said as I tied my hair back up.

I had just finished tieing my hair up when a knocking came from my door, so I opened it. "Yes?"

A young recruit, not much older then me stood wide eyed in my door. "Ummm... I was asked to bring this to you ma'am." he said holding out his arms.

"You don't have to call me ma'am, Emily is fine." I said smiling as I took what he held, then looked down at it. He had given me a combat shotgun, but this wasn't any combat shotgun I had seen it to often to know the difference, I bit my lip and looked back at the recruit. "This is Charon's combat shotgun."

He nodded.

"Were did you get it?" I asked.

"He asked my to bring it to you."

"Why? What's happening? Were is he?" I asked, almost panicked.

"Ma'am I..."

"If you know, please tell me. Were is Charon?"


	12. Gone

I stared wide eyed at the recruit who sat in front of me, hands wrapped tightly around the shotgun in my lap. "So... Charon gave you his weapon just before entering a chamber that's going to reverse his ghoulification?"

"That's right." he said nodding.

I relaxed my hands on the shotgun and sunk back into my chair, eyes transfixed on the floor. I didn't care if Charon was a ghoul or not or if his skin was flaking away, it was who he was, but if he wanted to be human again that was his choice and I couldn't stop him, but it would have been nice of him to say 'hey I'm going to reverse my ghoulification..' or something, but then again I guess this was his way of telling me. "You can go if you like." I said looking at the young recruit. "Thank you for bringing this to me."

He nodded as he walked out the door, closing it behind him.

I stood from my chair and packed my bag, changed my cloths, tied my hair up and grabbed Charons shotgun. Usually I would take my Lincolins Repeater, but today I left it laying on my bed.

It wasn't long before I was out my door and walking down to the science wing were I knew Elder Lyons was.

"Elder Lyons.." I said with a smile as I approached the old man.

"Hello Emily, how can I help you?" He asked with a crooked smile.

"I'm guessing its not possible to see Charon is it?"

"No, its not."

"Didn't think so. How long do you figure he will be in there?"

"It depends on how long he has been a ghoul, it could take months." he said frowning.

I scratched my head for a minute as I thought out my next move. "Can I see were he is?" I asked.

"Of course." he said, leading towards a large sealed off room that kind of reminded me of a prison cell on the alien spacecraft I was on only the door was thick glass and metal and you couldn't see well into the room.

I could vaguely see Charons silhouette across from the window were I stood. I reached into my pack and grabbed a piece of paper and a pen and began writing a note into it before sticking the pen back into my pack. I tapped on the glass a few times. The silhouette look up, then I smacked the note against the glass hard enough so it would stay there on its own but not hard enough to cause damage to the glass, before walking away. "I'm leaving for a while.. if you need me you can get through to my pipboy." I said looking back at Elder Lyons as I walked.

"Be careful." Was all he said before turning back to a scientist that had approached him.

Soon days had turned into weeks and weeks into a month and there was still nothing from the Brotherhood or Charon.

I sat in at the table in my house in Megaton, looking at my Brahmin steak dinner with Gobb, Butch and Dogmeat, who was starring at my dinner after almost swallowing his whole.

"Dogmeat, no." I said looking down at him then back up at the people around the table. "So how was work today Gobb?"

Gobb shrugged. "Colin is being as hotheaded as ever, keeps bitching how he has to pay me now cause I don't owe him anything."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it, you have done enough already." He said with a smile.

"Besides you don't want to mess with him, he handles alcohol." Butch said with a mouthful of food.

"So does Gob, but you have no problem being a ass to him." I said crossing my arms.

"...Well..."

"See, you got nothing." I said smirking as I looked back down at my dinner, just in time to see Dogmeat run away with it. "What the... DOGMEAT!" I yelled standing and chasing after my dog as Butch started to laugh and Gobb blinked in confusion.

I chased Dogmeat around the house and to the door were he pushed on it hard enough and it popped open. Standing in the doorway I yelled at him as he ran down the walkway. "Shut up Butch." I said as I continued to stand in the doorway.

"Ummm... hi?" A male voice said from on my left.

"Uhhh...hi..." I said looking at the guy standing on to my side. "Sorry about the yelling my dog..."

"...Ran away with your dinner?" he man finished.

"Yeah..." I said nodding. There was something about this guy, I had never seen him in Megaton before, he looked like he just came from the Wasteland, and he was so familiar.


	13. Back With Trouble

"Freddie!" Butch said from were he stood behind me.

The man in front of me smiled as he walked past me and into my house.

I blinked and turned, watching Butch and the newcomer talk like clucking chicken. "Wait… Freddie Gomez?"

"What's up short stuff?" Freddie asked with a smirk.

I sighed. "Yep, defiantly Freddie Gomez. What the hell are you doing here Freddie?" I asked.

"Butch invited me."

" 'Course…. You know he cant stay here Butch, there is no room."

Butch raised a finger as he began to talk.

"No… he cant not stay in Charon's Room, or Gobb's room." I said, knowing what he was going to say." You guys can rent rooms up at Moriartys because you will most likely go that way anyway."

"Moriarty's?" Freddie asked, looking at Butch for clarification.

"Butch smirked. "The bar."

"Oh… well lets go there then, Short stuff has her panties in a twist anyway."

"Before you go Freddie, I want you to meet my friend Gobb." I said as I placed my hand on Gobbs shoulder.

The look on Freddie's face was priceless, though how he tried to play iy off was funnier. Butch also saw the look on his face and hurried him out the door, closing it as Dogmeat came back in.

Someone you knew from the vault?" Gobb asked.

"Yeah..."

"Well if you knew him, why didn't you recognize him at first?"

"He just looked different." I said as I scrubbed the dinner dishes.

Gob stacked the dishes on the shelf before going upstairs. "I'll be right back."

I watched him walk upstairs then disappear into his room then return moments later with a bottle.

"Whiskey?"

"Yeah, bought it with my last payment from Colin. I think you could use a shot or four."

I smiled. "One is fine, whiskey is a little strong for my liking."

Gobb poured a shot for each of us.

"Thanks Gobb, your a great friend." I said lifting my shot.

He nodded. "You to." he said before downing his shot. "Well... now I think I'm off to bed, Gotta work early. Jericho is escorting a shipment in."

I took my shot and made a face like I had bitten into a extra sour lemon. "Okay Gobb, I'll see you tomorrow."

He nodded then walked back to his room. "Night."

"Night." I said standing, walking to the door and opening it. "Dogmeat stay." was all I said before stepping out and closing the dorr behind me. I climbed onto the roof at the front of the house, using the ladder Fawkes and I put up.

As I sat on the cold roof I tucked my summer dress under me and took off my shoes, because all I needed was to stumble and fall off the roof and die because I was wearing heels, yup exactly what I needed.

I stared at my toes for a while then up at the sky, it wasn't to cold out but it wasn't exactly warm either. "I should have brought my sweater.." I said quietly before I started cleaning my nails with the little pick I always kept in my dress pocket.

A hour or so passed and I had passed cleaning my nails and moved onto cleaning my toe nails before putting my pick away. "To dark now... good way to get hurt." I said to myself quietly before looking at the ladder I was sure I saw move. 

Moments later it shook again and what sounded like a mans voice came from below. So I stood and walked to the edge of the roof were the ladder was and looked over the edge. "Hello?"

"Emily?" The voice asked in a louder tone.

"Yeah... hang on, I'll come down there." I said before I went back to were I was sitting and grabbed my shoes then returned to the ladder and climbed down it.

"What the hell were you doing up there?" the man asked.

"Looking at the stars... here we can talk inside its lighter in there." I said opening the door ans stepping in then closing it behind my new guest.

"When did the ladder go up?" he asked.

"Week or so ago." I said, this person I for sure knew, his tone of voice was all to familiar, but this voice I remembered... without skin. I gaped at the man who as now sitting on a chair near my bed. "Charon!"

He looked at me with a smirk. "I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out." he said taking the Lincolns Repeater off his back and placing it on the table as he stood.

I looked at the man in front of me for a moment before nearly clearing my bed to get to him and wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezing him tight.

Charon placed him hands on my arms gently. "I missed you to Emily, but your squeezing the life out of me."

I smiled. "Sorry." I said before letting go.

He smiled again and ran his fingers through my hair. "This is new..."

"Well so is this." I said running my hand up the back of his neck and into his new dark reddish brown hair, it was shortish but thick, a lot thicker then mine was that was for sure. "I like it, its soft."

"I like yours, got it cut and kept it down just like you said."

We stood in silence for a while as I took in Charons new look. His new hair was messy and some spots were longer than others but it still looked good, His skin was a shade darker then mine and it was still warm like I remembered, his eyes were still foggy but I guess not everything about being a ghoul went away and That was fine with me.

"So I'm a asshole?" Charon asked quirking a eyebrow. 

"Huh?"

"In that note you left me, you said I was a asshole for not telling you what I was planning." He said smirking.

"Well it was kind of a asshole thing to do. But I should have known."

Charon nodded and I could tell something was bothering him.

"I have something of yours." I said, walking away from Charon and opening one of the the lockers by the front door.

'If your trying to give me my contract again you can forget about it, I'm not taking it back." he said folding his arms over his chest. 

"It's not your contract." I said pulling his shotgun out of the locker and holding it close to my chest as I closed the door and turned around. "This is what I wanted to give you." I said holding it out in front of me.

He gave me a crooked half smile as he reached out and took his shotgun back.

"I kept it safe and well cared for."

"I knew you would, thanks."

I nodded. " 'Course."

I watched Charon look over his combat shotgun, like he had finally found a missing piece of him, but there was something still... off. Maybe I was just used to seeing him as a ghoul or maybe I was just imagining things.

"So... obviously it went well seems how you are standing here." I said sitting on my large heart-shaped bed.

"For the most part. But this is as good as it gets." he said sitting on a chair.

"What do you mean?"

"Well obviously I'm still not totally human again, I still have the typical ghoul eyes but that doesn't matter, its not like anyone can tell right away. And radiation doesn't have a negative effect on me like it would on you." he said, putting his elbows on his knees.

"Does it still heal you?" I asked.

"Only extremely high levels of it.. or radioactive waste to I guess. But m,y skin doesn't flake off my hair doesn't fall out and so on and so on."

Nodding I took off my shoes. "I see. Are you going to tell me whats bothering you yet?" I said looking at him again.

He hesitated for a moment, like he was trying to put his words together properly. "We have a slight problem... with the Brotherhood."


	14. Bad News

"What do you mean we have a problem with The Brotherhood?" I asked.

"When word got out that they had found a way to reverse the effects of ghoulification, other ghouls started lining up to reverse their ghoulification…." Charon started.

"So?" What's the issue?"

"…Let me finish. When others herd that it worked more came and lined up. The issue is that The Brotherhood isn't anyone in."

"No one?"

"No one." He said shaking his head.

"Did they say why they weren't letting anyone in?"

"No but you know what they are like. You remember what I told you they said to me when I woke up in the medical room?"

"Yeah, I remember. We do have a problem then… but how did word get out so fast?"

"How do you think? Same way word got out about Oasis."

"Three Dog… but how did he find out?"

"Hell if I know."

"Well I guess we are just going to have to find out." I said before yawning.

Charon moved from the chair he was sitting on and sat on my large heart-shaped bed. "You should sleep. It's a wonder you manage to get anything done you sleep so much." He said.

"I'm sure you've told me that before." I said smirking.

"I'm sure I've said it at least a dozen times."

"Probably." I said yawning again. "Aren't you tired?"

"A little." He said stretching his arms over his head.

I nodded. "Your room if just they way you left it. We didn't even open the door when we were doing the renovations." I said standing from my bed.

"How many renovations did you do?" he asked.

"Took the chandelier down and apart, then rebuilt it so it wasn't to… dirty and creepy. Built another room upstairs for Butch, built a small storage room upstairs and moved the Nuka-cola machine to behind the stairs against the wall. And redid the kitchen, I repaired a stove and put it in…. I think that's it." I said moving my shoes to the end of my bed.

"No room for Fawkes?" Charon asked.

"I'm in the process of getting a supplies to build a addition for him, cause he's just to big to have a room in the house."

"A whole addition? Did you talk to Lucas about that?"

"Yeah, he was fine with it."

Charon nodded as he stood, still watching me walk around getting ready for bed. "This is the longest it's taken you to get ready for bed, ever." He said crossing his arms.

"It will take half the time when I'm done working down here and all my shelves and cupboards are in, Right now all my stuff is every were and sometimes I forget were I put things."

"Were are you getting the caps for all of this?" he asked.

"I'm building most of it myself, or Butch is bringing it out from the vault when he goes back occasionally."

"Butch goes back to the vault?"

"Sometimes, he gets messages on his pipboy to go back and barber."

"You stopped giving him caps didn't you?"

I smiled. "Sure did, so this is how he makes his booze money."

Charon stood behind me and put a hand on my shoulder. "You can be a evil person sometimes, you know that?" He said smirking, with that oh so nice half smirk.

"I know. But you have probably been travelling all day so you should go sleep in your bed."

"Yeah that's a good idea." He said stretching again. "Going back to see The Brotherhood tomorrow?"

"No, you can relax for a day, then we go see Three Dog and find out how he found out about this. THEN go confront The Brotherhood."

"Okay." He said as he nodded, then turned to go upstairs. "Night Emily."

I turned and grabbed his hand. "Charon…" I said hugging him again. "I'm so glad your back… I missed you." I whispered.

"I missed you to." He said hugging me back.

I smiled and looked up at him for a moment. "Okay, go to bed. I've kept you up long enough."

"Okay, night."

"Night." I said as I laid a light kiss on his jaw and then turned and sat on my bed as he walked upstairs to his room with a almost confused smile on his face. I looked at Dogmeat who was slowly inching towards the bed. "C'mon Dogmeat bedtime." I said as I curled up in my blankets and slowly drifted off to sleep.


	15. Day off

Note: I'm sorry it took so long to update, my mom went for surgery so I was taking care of her, I'm also sorry to anyone who has been trying to PM me, I didn't realize I had it disabled.

After a rather peaceful night sleep I woke up to the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs, trying to be quiet. "I'm awake Gobb..." I said sitting up with a half smile.

"Oh okay." he said as he continued to walk down the stairs. "Your happy." he said as he cracked his knuckles.

" 'Course I am... Charons home." I said with a grin.

"He is? When did he get his ass back here?"

"Late last night. Hes sleeping in his room right now."

"Oh, well bring him by the bar later, if hes up at a decent time."

I laughed. "I'll ask him when he gets up."

Gobb smiled as he opened the door. "Well I'm off, see you later."

"Later Gobb." I said before looking upstairs towards Charons door.

Hours passed and Charon still hadn't come out of his room, so as a excuse to check on him I took a plate of lunch. I knocked quietly before quietly opening his door when no noise came from inside. "Charon?"

The only noise that came from Charons room was the sound of him breathing in his sleep.

I smiled as I placed his lunch on his desk beside his Combat shotgun, before quietly leaving again, closing the door behind me. "Must have been more tired then he first thought. Its good hes sleeping in." I said as I walked downstairs. I stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked around, there was nothing to clean, no building to be done, nothing but to sit around and listen to the radio. "Dogmeat want to go outside?" I asked as I opened the door and stepped out.

It was a nice day out, a light breeze that made the heat from the sun more tolorable, as I sat at my table and chair set I turned the radio on my pipboy and turned it to Three Dogs station, he always played good music or had something interesting to talk about.

"Its nice to have a day off isn't it Dogmeat?" I asked as we enjoyed the days sunshine.

At least until the acid rain started and we had to hide inside to avoid being burned. "That changed fast." I said looking down at Dogmeat as we sat on my bed. "I hope it doesn't last long, the rain is going to kill everything new that is trying to grow."

Dogmeat let out a small whimper as we sat and listened to the rain for a while before falling asleep, even with the rain it was still a okay day off.


	16. Betrayal

"Holy. Crap." I said as I stared wide eyed at the sight before me.

"I told you." Charon grumbled.

"I know.. but.. holy crap."

"'Lotta Ghouls not happy with who they are."

"Apparently." I said as we started walking towards the gates that lead to the Brotherhood of Steel headquarters. "We are going to get these people the help they want."

"How?"

"...Snowflake?"

"How the hell is Snowflake gonna help?" Charon asked.

"No, look..." I said pointing at a ghoul not far from us. "Snowflake."

"Shit it is to."

"Lets go talk to him."

The as they approached the ghoul he turned his head to one side to look at the line behind him, hardly noticing the people approaching him at first. "Emily?"

"Hi Snowflake." I smiled as Charon and I approached.

"Charon.." Snowflake said, acknowledging the man. "What are you to doing here?" he asked.

"Gonna get this line moving." I stated, motioning to the doors. "Why are you here?"

"Simple, I miss my job. Not many people want to get their hair cut by a ghoul and not many ghouls have any hair left to cut."

I nodded "I under stand, but don't worry we are gonna get this line moving as fast as possible."

"Cant really do that while standing here talking can ya?" he said with a smirk.

"No, not really. Smart ass."

"Just stating a fact."

"Uh huh, well we are going to get this mess worked out, hopefully we will see you inside." I said as Charon and I started moving again.

"Hope so." Was the last we herd from Snowflake before we got through the side gates and into the courtyard behind the training arena.

Charon and I made our way to the science lab were Elder Llyons always was, and sure enough he was there.

"Elder Llyons." I said with a frown to the old man who had his back to me. "Why are these ghouls not getting the help they came here for?"

"Just because we have the resources does not mean we are obligated to help everyone with it." He said, never turning to look at me.

"Funny you said the complete opposite at the meeting were you unveiled your new resource."

"What are you saying?" He asked, finally turning to look at me.

"Id you don't help them I will take away your resources and help these people myself."

"And how would you do that? he asked almost laughing.

"How do you plan on helping them?" Charon asked.

"The key to this is purified water right? if they don't start helping the ghouls that have shown up here for help... then I take the purifier back."

"And just how do you plan on taking the purifier back?" The elder asked, now laughing.

"By force if I have to. Charon and I have cleared it out of Super Mutants once, why would a few soldiers be any harder? if I take the purifier then your research comes to a stand still. All of it." I said crossing my arms over my chest. "What's it going to be? Help these people, or lose everything you have worked for?"

"It seems you have my hands tied." the old man said.

"Good, I'm glad we have a agreement then. The first group will be down in a few minutes, I suggest you have things ready." I said turning on my heels and walking, Charon following close behind.

"Good plan." he said in almost a whisper.

"Thanks." I said smiling. "Now lets go help some ghouls."


	17. And Then There Were None

_**(Welcome to the exciting conclusion of Memoirs of a Wanderer)**_

Weeks had passed and hundreds of ghouls had come in and left with their effects reversed, many happier then they were before.

But today that didn't matter, today was the day that Charon and I had chosen just for us, for us to spend some time together.

"I'm glad we decided to do this." I said as I watched Charon load his shotgun. "We haven't been able to spend much time together since, that was just for us, since you have been back."

I know, but things had to be done." he said nodding.

"That's true."

"Are you sure you don't mind watching me at the range? I don't have to go."

"I told you I don't mind. But we do have to check on Butch first, make sure hes doing his job."

Charon nodded as we left our room and made our way to the science lab, were Butch worked not so quietly as he cut and styled the hair of the people who once had no hair to cut.

"Well he's working, I guess we can go." I said just as the building started to shake.

Computers fell off desks, Butch dropped his scissors and people scrambled to find a safe place to hide until the shaking stopped.

"What the hell?" Charon hissed as he pushed himself off the wall.

"Earthquake?" I asked, brushing the dust of my dress and Tunnel Snakes jacket.

"I have my doubts, it seemed to fade then get worse."

"Bombs then?"

"That's a strong possibility." Charon nodded. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Lets go check and make sure everyone is okay."

"So much for our day.."

"I know, but we can still have our day after."

He nodded as we hurried to the ground level of the complex, Butch following not far behind. As we got to the door Charon threw it open.

"Holy crap," Butch said.

The disaster that was laid out in front of us was horrible. There were Brotherhood and Enclave soldiers lying dead everywhere as Enclave soldiers stormed through the broken down gates.

Butch grabbed his pistol and started firing at the soldiers who were storming the gates, along side the remaining Brotherhood of Steel soldiers.

It was so much to take in at once that neither Charon or I noticed the sound of the bullets getting closer, until I hissed at the new pain in my shoulder.

"What?" Charon asked, pulling me back inside and closing one door so we had cover.

"My shoulder."

Charon frowned as he unzipped my jacket and pulled it off. "Damn it."

"Well that would do it." I said as warm read liquid ran down my arm from the bullet hole in my shoulder.

"Don't move it." he said, trying to clean and bandage it.

"Ow.."

"Sorry."

The gunshots grew louder and closer to our hiding spot as Charon looked out the window and then back at me.

"Don't go out there." I whispered.

"C'mon.." He said grabbing my good arm and pulling me down the hall.

Charon opened our bedroom door and closing it behind us before he started rummaging in the closet. "Put this on." he said holding out my recon armor.

I nodded and I kicked off my shoes and threw my jacket on the bed.

Charon helped me pull my bad arm out of my dress and helped me put my armor on, as I tied my boots he re-buckled my armor, then when he decided they were fine he grabbed all the ammunition for his shotgun and stuffed as much of it as he could into his pockets.

I grabbed my Lincoln Repeater and did the same, as well as grab additional ammunition for Butch.

"Take this to." Charon said, giving me a Combat Knife.

I nodded as I put the knife in the back pocket of the armor. "Use these. Your aim is better with them then mine." I said passing him all the plasma grenades we had.

"Lets go." Charon said as he opened the door and we hurried down the hall towards the gunfire. But at Charon was about to go out the open door I grabbed his free hand.

"Charon.." I said quietly. "Be careful.. please."

Charon nodded. "You to, I'll be close if you need me."

I nodded as I let go of his hand and readied my weapon.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Together Charon and I joined the fighting outside. We took cover behind some sand bags and set our sights on the enemy.

"Where the hell is that little shit Butch?" Charon yelled over the gunfire.

"I don't see him!" I yelled back. "Lets move, get a better angle."

Charon grabbed my arm and pulled me towards a different pile of sandbags.

"Butch!" I shrieked, before pulling my arm free from Charon and running towards Butch.

"Emily!" Charon yelled as he followed after me.

"Oh my god, Butch!" I screamed as I covered my mouth.

Butch lay on the ground in front of me, blood covering his face and chest from what looked like stab wounds.

"Oh my god.."

"Emily, what the hell?" Charon asked as he caught up.

"Butch.."

Charon looked at the body that lay in front of us for a moment before pulling me away.

"Rat bastards." I said as tears ran down my face. Butch and I had never been great friends but we were close enough to travel together, and close enough for me to be sad about his death.

Charon pulled me close as we ducked behind a makeshift shelter. "Emily.. there is nothing we can do for him now except save these people."

I nodded as I looked at him. "Your hurt!" I said as my eyes were drawn to his bleeding hand.

"Its fine, lets just save these people. Just keep yourself together." he said rubbing my cheek.

"Okay." I said as we turned and looked over the shelter and started firing at the Enclave soldiers.

After what seemed like hours had passed the shooting slowed and finally stopped, giving us all a break.

I looked at Charon as we fully reloaded our weapons, unsure when the shooting would start again. "Hows your hand?" I asked.

"Sore." he said clenching and releasing it. "Your shoulder?"

"Tender."

We sat in silence for a moment before looking over the broken metal of out shelter.

"There are still a few soldiers out there." Charon said.

"Nice to know we aren't alone." I said, just before noticing the three Deathclaw coming through the gate. "Shit... Enclave controlled Deathclaw.."

"Aim for the head." Charon said.

"Remember last time?" I asked.

"Last time we got away fine. The time before that you were with Butch. We will get out of this fine."

I nodded as we took aim and fired at the three Deathclaw.

The first two Deathclaw were easy to take down, but the third one was bouncing around like a pre-war toy on speed. First it took down the few surviving recruits, then one of the last paladins before finding its way to Charon and I. Just as quickly as it found us it swung its arms to lash out at Charon.

Charon covered his face with his arm to protect himself, and like a hot knife through cram the Deathclaws claws tore into Charons arm, making him hiss in pain.

I swallowed my fear of the Deathclaw and shot it with the bullet that would finally bring it down.

Charon hugged his wounded arm close to his body as he continued to hiss in pain.

"Shit! Charon." I said dropping my Repeater and grabbing the bandages in my side pouch. "Give me your arm."

For a split second he hesitated before releasing his arm.

Carefully I unbuckled what was left of the armor on his arm and wrapped a bandage from the gunshot in his hand to just above the torn flesh from the Deathclaw. I was so immersed in caring for Charon that I didn't hear the gunshot that took down our last surviving paladin, not until there were Enclave soldiers surrounding us and our tiny shelter.

"Emily.." Charon said quietly as he laid his shotgun down.

"I know." I said looking at him. "We are done."

He nodded simply.

"I never thought it would end like this."

"I know."

I looked in Charons eyes and I could see his disappointment and sadness in how this was going to end. "I'm sorry I brought you into this." I said frowning.

Charon held my hands tight. "Don't be, you saved me and a lot of people, don't doubt that."

I smiled, someone how he always knew what to say.

"That's what I like to see." He said smiling as the Enclave soldiers around us readied their weapons.

"We will be together again, somewhere where we wont have to fight to stay alive." He said as he wrapped his arms around me in a tight hug. "Were we can be happy."

I hugged him back, refusing to let go. "That's cheesy, but I would like that."

"Emily.."

"I know Charon.." I said quietly. I didn't have to look at Charon to know what he was feeling now, he felt the same as I did. Even thought this was out end at least we had each other, and it made it okay. I pressed my lips against his bottom lip and he did the same, our way of saying 'I love you, see you soon.'.

And as quickly as it came, the pain was starting to go and both Charon and I drifted to our world were we could be together without fighting to stay alive. Were we could be happy.

The End.


End file.
